Survivor
by Casey Crystal
Summary: How would you feel if you had saved the world from an unimaginable fate of darkness, but the only person you wanted to share it with wasn't there for you?............eep I sound pathetic!


~*~Survivor~*~  
  
  
DISCLAIMER: they're not mine, quit rubbing it in.  
  
  
It's me again, but this time I'm taking a break from the "humorus" Casey's Little World. A sad story, showing my thoughts on how Cloud reacted to Aeris' death. The opposite of Regrets.  
  
Enjoy!  
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He leaned over the water, his reflection staring straight back at him and quivering in the ripples in the water. Remembering that day he lost her here, he shivered and leaned back.  
  
Fighting back the catch in his throat, he sighed and finally spoke.  
  
"A-Aeris...? I don't know if you can hear me, i-it's Cloud. I know it sounds weird to be talking to thin air, but RedXIII once told me the dead can hear your words, so....." he took a deep breath, "here goes......  
  
"We stopped Sephiroth, if you hadn't already guessed, and everyone made it safely. Most of them returned to their hometowns, but people like Tifa and I have decided to move to Kalm. They've rebuilt Nibleheim, but I'll never go back there again."  
  
He paused, and looked into the water again, not sure of what he was looking for. "I know I'm responsible for your death, and I'll understand if you'll never forgiv me, but I just wanted to say I'm sorry. We all miss you Aeris."  
  
He reached into his pocket, and pulled out the Holy materia. He held it out over the water. "I've always kept this in my pocket ever since I first got my hands on it. You're responsible for the destruction of Sephiroth, you deserve all of the credit. I know you were there when we stopped him, we all felt it, I-I saw you reaching out to me, but I never caught your hand, I felt like I lost you for a second time..."  
  
"Cloud?"  
  
Cloud paused at the sound of his name and looked behind him, it wasn't the voice he needed to hear...  
  
"Hold on, Tifa, I just need a minute, stay there, ok?"  
  
He turned back to the water. "Tifa and I are living together, but I'll never forget you. If it weren't for you, we'd all be dead by now and Sephiroth would have had his victory. We're all lucky to have survived. But sometimes, I think that you were the lucky one, you managed to escape from all of this, and the rest of us were all left behind cleaning up this mess."  
  
He wiped his eye, but there was no tears.....yet. "I miss you, Aeris. I never go to say good-bye, and I just stood and watched while Sephiroth took the life from you. From that moment, I never slept peacefully until I was avenged, but it still didn't brinng you back."  
  
His reflection no longer quivered. In fact, the ripples had stopped, giving him his true reflection, which was glaring back at him acusingly. You killed Aeris, the reflection seemed to say.  
  
"Aeris," he sniffed, "I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I promised to be your bodyguard, and I ended up being responsible for your death. I don't know any other way to say this, but-"  
  
Suddenly, his reflection shook wildly, and the image changed from his to Aeris', but Cloud never noticed. He wasn't paying any attention to the water anymore. His eyes were closed very tightly.  
  
"Aeris, I love you..." he choked out, and opened his eyes.  
  
Aeris' image was inches in front of his face, smiling at him.  
  
"Cloud.." she whispered, her words sounding like peaceful music to him. "I love you too, but you mustn't mourn for me."  
  
"Aer-Aeris?"  
  
Aeris giggled and nodded. "Don't worry. I don't hate you. Go on, enjoy your life with your friends. My life was worth it, short as it was, but worth it."  
  
Cloud wiped a tear away.  
  
"Cloud?" Tifa called again. Cloud looked to the direction of where she was calling. He looked back to Aeris, a helpless look on his face.  
  
"Go," she said softly. "Enjoy your life, and remember that I'll always love you."  
  
He nodded, and her image faded away again, back to his, only his expression wasn't acusing any more. It was still miserable, but peaceful, relieved.  
  
"Cloud?" Tifa called again. Cloud stood up and walked a few paces from the pond, and looked back.  
  
It was true, she was the lucky one, not left behind in misery. She was freed.  
  
If anything, she was the true survivor.  
  
"Cloud! Come on!" called Tifa again. Cloud turned and ran off in her direction, the thought lingering in his mind.  
  
  
Survivor......  
  
  
THE END  
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By yours truly,  
  
  
~*~ Casey ~*~  
  
  
  
  
caseycrystal@hotmail.com  
  
  
  
  
  
HEY! ANY REVIEWS? If you're an author here then you ought to know how much reviews mean to us!!! I've gotten so many hits on this story already and no one ever reviews! Maybe it's the title that brings people here. *sniff* No one loves me =( 


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